Troy Rike is set to debut for the Chooks-to-Go-backed Gilas Pilipinas Cadets in the 2018 Filoil Flying V Preseason Cup, presented by Chooks-to-Go.
The 6-foot-7 stretch forward will arrive on Monday, just in time for Gilas’ practice on Monday evening.
“See you in 4 days,” Rike tweeted.
And he might be immediately put to the test when the Cadets take on the EAC Generals on Thursday.
“We wanted to take a look at the guys. Aside from their playing ability, we want to see their attitude,” Gilas coach Chot Reyes said last month. “What better way to see that than in a playing situation.”
Out of the three Filipino-Americans included in the 23 for 2023 Cadets, Rike is the oldest at 22. During his first three years in Wake Forest, he appeared in just a total of 23 games in three seasons, amassing only 12 points.
But lowly numbers aside, Rike can be a solid addition to Gilas thanks to his six-foot-seven frame, plus a nice shooting touch for a player his size — a weapon that will surely come in handy for the Nationals in 2023.
Rike was born in San Francisco, California to a Filipina mother. His knack for sports most likely came from his mom, Veronica, as she herself played for the University of San Francisco’s tennis team in her college years.
